We finally learned how to add texture to our 3d models. With this, we can add texture to our 3d lantern model that we created last week. But before that, we did experiment on texturing simple shapes and saw how reflections on different materials / textures work.

We were explained on how the render view on Cinema 4D is basically a visual illusion – because no object can be seen without lighting, but cinema 4D’s render view assists on viewing the object. By un-checking the “Global Illumination” option, this assist would be turned off and as a result, when no lighting is added, none of the 3d objects can be seen on the render view (even though they can be seen on the workspace). It doesn’t mean that the object are gone- they’re still there, it’s just pitch dark and they need lights to be seen.

To add texture to an object, firstly we need to create the texture. (Create > New material) Then click on the new material twice icon twice – there you can edit the properties of the texture (reflection, luminosity, preset textures). Drag the material icon to your object’s layer and voila! You can do further adjustments by clicking twice on the material icon, or from the properties panel on the right side. There are also scenery that come with the software during installation and you can find them (along with preset textures) in Windows > Content Browser > Preset > Prime > HDRI. Make a “sky” layer and drag your chosen scenery to it. If your object is made to be reflective, you will be able to see the scenery of the room reflected on it. Mine looks like a yellow marble- pretty interesting! Note that reflection will only occur when there are other objects / things to reflect them.

Experiment on making the object transparent (adjust the refraction and brightness on transparency so that the item won’t be completely invisible!). Now the marble looks more like a yellow bubble.

It’s also possible for us to load in .jpeg files to be made as texture. There is also a “render perfect” function especially for spheres – it is to render the sphere exactly round even though the segments are reduced (this is helpful to decrease rendering duration). You can also add “noise” to the texture of the object – this would make the object appear bumpy and rough without actually disfiguring the object. “Displacement” would disfigure the object in its process of creating bumps and grumps (eh), and they’re more dramatic as a result. Note that “displacement” won’t work if you don’t un-check your “render perfect” function, as it would render the sphere to be perfectly smooth no matter how segmented or disfigured it is.

In adding lights, you can also add shadow (soft / hard shadow). There are also different kinds of light (area light, target light, soft box etc.) which allows you to get the lighting effect that you want – to make the model as lifelike & as accurate to the reference as possible.